Chapter One

Brandon

His own scream woke Brandon Smith.

Brandon, struggling to breathe, pulled himself off the bed, making sure to take his thick comforter with him. He crawled across the lush carpet until he made it to the closet. Luckily the door was already cracked open so Brandon could easily get inside and curl back against the wall. His fingers shook as he closed the door almost all the way.

The night-light in the closet had been his brother Eric’s idea. Eric hated the thought of Brandon suffering alone in the dark and had suggested having a battery-operated night-light. His brother was awesome like that. Always thinking of ways to make Brandon more comfortable and safer.

Most nights Brandon could sleep peacefully, knowing that Eric was down the hall. Now that Ezra and Annabelle were staying for good, Brandon tried not to bother his family too much. And the nightmares were getting better.

The bedroom door opened, barely making any sound, but Brandon could nearly feel it. He knew the click the door handle made and the soft brush of the bottom of the door against the carpet. Brandon bit his lip. Eric wasn’t home. Ezra and Annabelle weren’t home. He should be alone in the house. Before he could panic fully, again, the softest whimper reached him.

Oh! That’s right. Brandon wasn’t alone. While Eric, Ezra, and Annabelle were visiting Eric’s good friends in Rocky Lake, Arizona, Dane and Maverick were staying at the house.

Brandon wasn’t sure if Dane’s house was really having plumbing issues or if his brother had made up an excuse to have Dane stay so Brandon wasn’t alone. Brandon didn’t care either. He was just glad that there was someone, armed, in the house. Not that the threat to Brandon was anywhere other than in his mind.

The tip of a black nose at the crack in the door had Brandon pushing the door open farther in invitation.

Maverick shoved his head through. His big goofy grin just what Brandon needed to see. Maverick didn’t get bothered by Brandon clinging to him. In truth neither did Eric or Ezra but Brandon was trying to be better! It was easier with a dog who Brandon knew didn’t judge him.

Brandon already loved the K-9 dog. Maverick might be trained to sniff out drugs and assist Dane in capturing bad guys, but he was also the best cuddle partner ever.

His closet floor wasn’t really big enough for a full-grown man and a two-year-old pup, but as Maverick crawled inside with him, Brandon didn’t mind the tight fit. Brandon wrapped his arm around Maverick’s neck as the dog lay against his chest.

“Hey, Bran.”

Of course, Dane was there too. Dane and Maverick were a package deal. Not that Dane wouldn’t leave if Brandon asked him to. Brandon might be embarrassed but he wasn’t dumb enough to send the big man from his room. At least Dane was outside the closet.

“Hey,” Brandon replied, his voice hoarse, worrying him that he might have screamed more in his sleep than he’d thought.

“I brought you a juice box.” The box was set inside the opening of the closet door.

Brandon waited until Dane’s hand was gone before he snagged the juice box. Not that he thought Dane would grab him and try to yank him out of the closet, but Brandon wasn’t taking any chances. He’d been wrong before. “Thank you.” He did remember his manners.

“You’re welcome.” Dane’s voice was quiet, soft, comforting. “Do you need anything else?”

Even though he was struggling to get the little straw into the juice box, Brandon grunted in response. His fingers hadn’t stopped shaking yet.

“Is it okay if I hang out too? Maverick sort of abandoned me for you.”

Brandon giggled, knowing that Dane was being silly. Brandon often regressed into being a little after a bad dream and had no doubt Eric had informed Dane of that. Now that Brandon had Eric’s partner, Ezra, to be little with, he was regressing more often. The safety that had once been taken away from him was slowly returning. Having little friends had been the final piece that Brandon had needed to reemerge himself into a little lifestyle.

“Brandon, can I stay?” Dane asked. “I need your consent.”

Oh! Brandon forgot to answer. “Yes, you can stay,” he answered softly. “But don’t open the door!”

“I won’t,” Dane promised. It sounded like he slid down the wall next to the closet. That’s what Eric usually did, so Brandon knew that sound.

Brandon finally got the straw in his juice box and was able to take a long pull. Crisp, fresh, and appley. The cold liquid soothed his sore throat.

“I hope you have enough room in there with Maverick’s big butt,” Dane told him.

Brandon patted that furry rump. “Might need a bigger closet,” he agreed. He had no intention of giving up his safe space and it would be nice if Maverick could fit in there with him without Brandon being squished.

“The contractor finished up the basement. I’ll talk to him about remodeling the closet, if you want?”

It was clearly a question. Even though Eric had told Brandon that the house was his too, Brandon didn’t want to overstep any boundaries. “Eric?”

“Eric won’t mind. You know that,” Dane said.

He did. Brandon looked around the small space. Yeah, it was pretty cramped. All his shoes were piled on top of one other to make room for his body. “Yes, please.” If it was Dane’s idea, then Brandon could totally blame it on him.

“I’ll take care of it,” Dane vowed.

Brandon nodded even though Dane couldn’t see him. He scooted and wiggled until he could curl into a ball and wrap himself around Maverick. In this position he could even rest his cheek on Maverick’s broad back.

He slipped his thumb into his mouth as he forced himself to think of happy thoughts. Like the basement that Eric was turning into a playroom for Brandon and Ezra. There hadn’t been any plans for the basement before. Eric bought the house when Brandon moved in with him and it was bigger than just the two of them needed. With the addition of Ezra and Annabelle, the house was filling up quickly. Not to mention that Dane and Maverick spent more time here than they did in their own house. And now that Ezra had introduced Brandon to Dom and Lake, they had friends over often.

A year had passed since Brandon had been rescued from the hell that he’d found himself in. Brandon was aware that he might never go back to being the carefree young man that he’d once been, but the world wasn’t so bleak any longer. He had his brother, family, and new friends. He even had a furry best buddy that didn’t mind when Brandon drooled on him.

“I spoke to your brother a couple of hours ago,” Dane said quietly.

“They’re still coming home on Sunday, right?” Brandon understood Eric wanted to introduce his new partner to his friends. To show Ezra that there were other young men out there like them that loved age regression. That they had their own little community. He had even been invited to go with them, but Brandon wasn’t ready yet. Even though he wanted more little friends as well.

“Yes, they’ll be home around dinnertime Sunday,” Dane supplied. “Apparently Ezra hit it off with one of the littles that is new to the dynamic. Well, I should say that both he and his Daddy are new.”

A new little and Daddy duo was interesting. Usually at least one of the partners had some experience in the lifestyle.

“Mickey, that’s the little, and Ezra are already planning for the couple to come visit at the end of the month. Ezra thinks you and Mickey will get along like gangbusters.” Dane chuckled. “Whatever the hell that means.”

Brandon smiled. Ezra had picked up all kind of silly sayings since he’d gotten back into age regression. He was fully embracing his little side and he was a riot to be around.

“Mickey’s Daddy agreed to the boy’s plan. Especially after he learned about Maverick.”

“Maverick?” Brandon hugged his canine buddy closer.

“They share the same name,” Dane said amused. “Eric said that Mickey went around the entire night calling his Daddy ‘human Maverick.’ The boys thought it was hilarious. So human Maverick can’t wait to meet our boy there.”

Their boy. Brandon placed a kiss at the top of Maverick’s head. Dane didn’t even pretend that Brandon hadn’t totally adopted Mav as his own. Brandon followed the rules though. When Maverick had on his working vest, Brandon didn’t interfere with his training. Dane spent several hours every day in the backyard training with Mav. And although Brandon wanted to coo all over Maverick about how good a doggo he was, Brandon only watched from the window. It was too hard to be outside and not praise Maverick. The added benefit being he could also watch Dane without the big cop knowing. Or maybe he did. Dane sure did take his shirt off a lot when he was training out back.

Las Vegas was nearly almost warm, but Brandon didn’t think that Dane needed to be practically naked. Not that he would ever complain out loud. He loved watching the bulging muscles and well-defined abs.

Brandon might have a crush, but it was harmless. It wasn’t like he expected Dane to ever look at him as more than an annoyance. Someone he had to put up with because Brandon was Eric’s little brother. Little being the key word.

He could fantasize though. No one else needed to know when Brandon had warm yummy dreams of Dane taking charge of him. Brandon wasn’t just a little. He needed more than age regression to be fulfilled. Brandon was also a sub. The two, being little and a sub, were not always connected. Take their friend Dom. There was nothing submissive about Dom, but he still loved being a little.

Brandon was submissive through and through.

Even the same part of him that was terrified to ever trust another man again craved the strong, firm hand of a stern Daddy.

With his eyes fluttering closed, the sound of a rough snore reached him. Brandon buried his face in Maverick’s neck to hide his giggle. Maverick immediately started to snore, sounding just like his master.

Well, sleeping was overrated, and Brandon would much rather have these two big protective heroes sounding like rumbling cats than lying alone and in silence. Life would be perfect if he could have this every night.

* * * * *

Dane

“Is he watching, buddy?” Dane patted Maverick’s back as they crossed the yard to where Dane had set up the day’s training session.

Maverick trotted beside him but took a moment to look over his shoulder.

Great, their little stalker was in position. Dane suspected as much. The boy just couldn’t seem to help himself. At first Brandon had joined them outside when Dane started to work with Maverick at the house. That hadn’t worked out since Brandon wanted to praise Maverick no matter how the dog performed. Brandon had reluctantly agreed to stay inside but the little cutie was always watching.

“Make me look good here, buddy,” Dane told the dog. He gave the hand motion for Maverick to stay before he walked twelve steps ahead then then turned back around. Dane yanked his shirt over his head. He might be a little obsessed with teasing his boy. Anything that he could do to get Brandon’s attention. He tucked the end of the shirt into the back of his jeans as Maverick vibrated in front of him.

As much as he enjoyed knowing that Brandon was inside watching, Dane needed to give Maverick his serious training. The amount of time and money that went into K-9 dogs shocked him. Dane knew he’d been lucky when his application to become a handler had been approved but it had more to do with one of his best friends becoming the new lieutenant of their department. They needed a drug dog and someone to train with him. Dane had jumped at the chance.

He’d always liked animals. Dane hadn’t been lucky enough to ever own a pet. Never dared to bring home anything that would be just ignored as he had been. To make up for his own longing, Dane had spent his entire life rescuing stay animals and finding them forever homes. It broke his heart every time he found a home for an animal. They deserved a forever person even as Dane craved the same.

As soon as he’d leased his first house, Dane had been determined to finally have his own pet. Every year that went by he told himself it was time. His demons haunted him and as much as Dane loved animals, he also feared that he’d let them down. Do something to harm them. He’d put off adopting or taking in a stray until Brandon had entered his life.

Eric and Brandon had been somewhat estranged when Dane met his friend. It wasn't until Brandon’s…trauma had forced him to live with Eric that Dane met the younger man.

One look was all it took for Dane to know that he’d met the person he wanted to claim as his own. He snorted. Dane knew that was the wrong way to look at a relationship. His partner wouldn’t belong to him…but maybe he would. Maybe Brandon could.

Forcing his mind away from the tempting young man in the house, Dane began the training session with his K-9 partner. Maverick responded perfectly to each command. Whether Dane used his voice or a hand signal, Maverick was right there, doing what he was supposed to. The perfect partner. The best dog.

The good boy would get a special treat after dinner. Maybe Dane could come up with something to reward another special boy. The one that Dane was struggling not reaching out to.

It was torture to watch Brandon freely snuggle and cuddle with Maverick when all Dane wanted to do was have the younger man curl up against his chest.

Dane had spent the last year focusing on himself and being a better man than he truly was. His past wasn’t something that he could ever forget but he could heal. Dane stopped making excuses and started to plan.

If he was to be the Daddy Dom that Brandon needed, then Dane needed his head on straight. No more drinking. He no longer hooked up with strangers. Dane was fully committed to being the man Brandon needed.

Remi and Eric were starting to ask questions. Dane was having trouble coming up with excuses on why he needed to constantly be with Brandon and not at his own house. Time was running out. Dane had a boy that needed his claim.

He sighed while releasing Maverick from his stance.

“Good boy, Mav.” He gave Maverick a full-body rubdown then removed the working vest.

As soon as the vest was in his hands, the sliding glass door opened.

Dane straightened and rolled his shoulders. Maverick gave a happy bark before he raced to the door. Brandon dropped down to his knees right there to throw his arms around Maverick’s neck.

Fuck! Dane wanted Brandon to greet him that way. And it damn well sucked that he was jealous of his own dog.

With the sun beating down on his shoulders, Dane easily ignored the slight chill in the air. All he had to tempt Brandon with was his body. Dane was getting that desperate.

Brandon finished loving over the canine and rose.

Checking his watch, Dane saw that two and a half hours had passed as he worked with Maverick. That meant that Brandon would be headed into work soon and right after, he and Maverick would start their shift.

He strode forward, pleased when Brandon waited on him.

“I made you dinner and put it in the insulated bag,” Brandon told him.

Dane’s entire core warmed. He loved that Brandon thought about him. About taking care of him. “You didn’t have to do that,” Dane said even though he was so happy.

“I would prefer knowing you had a good meal than thinking about you eating fast food,” Brandon said with a sniff.

Dane grinned.

“Don’t smile at me like that,” Brandon demanded with a frown. “You have worse eating habits than Eric.”

He shrugged. “No one ever cared before.”

“I care,” Brandon stressed. “I won’t allow you to have a heart attack and leave Maverick all alone.”

Just Maverick? Dane really wanted to push his boy. To see if Brandon would respond the way he sometimes did. Dane had control though. He would not tease Brandon right before the boy went on shift in the ER for the night.

“Did you make dinner for yourself too?” Dane checked.

“I did,” Brandon said. “We’ll need to go grocery shopping in the next couple of days. I don’t want Eric and Ezra to come home to an empty fridge.”

“We can do that,” Dane readily agreed. “Maybe tomorrow after we both wake up. We can even stop at the diner you love.” That was a date. Even if Brandon didn’t know it. By his calculations they’d been on thirteen dates together. It didn’t count if Eric or anyone else was with them. In just over a year, Dane had only been able to get Brandon alone for thirteen meals together. Dates. He was sneaky like that. And not at all ashamed. He’d tell Brandon one day. Once Brandon had accepted his claim.

“Sounds good to me. You better shower and get ready for work. I need to head in soon myself.”

His mouth watered to pull Brandon into his arms. Dane would kiss the hell out of the boy if given the chance. Instead, he nodded before moving toward the house. His best friend’s house.

Dane would eventually have to go to his own home. In the meantime, he could take a long hot shower and think about Brandon being in a room just down the hall from him.

He was hard and erect as he walked down to the room he’d claimed as his own. Ezra had been staying in the room, but he’d moved in with Eric, so the space was available. Dane had to use the bathroom in the hall that Brandon also used. If he sniffed the shampoo and soap that Brandon used, no one needed to know but him.

Brandon was still cooing over Maverick as Dane closed the door behind him.

The lighting in the bathroom was soothing.

Dane knew Brandon’s past with his ex. Had seen the report that Eric had hidden in his desk. The bathroom. No other bathroom was as calm and welcoming as the one he currently stood in.

He didn’t know how to help. What to do to make the space safer for Brandon. Dane made sure that he kept everything clean and not cluttered.

Any little thing he could do to ensure that Brandon was happy, healthy, and loved.